Rise and Regeneration
by Jazziecookie
Summary: Ren Ketchum sets out to unravel the mysteries behind his father's disappearance. Rated M for mature themes which will crop up later. First written story in a very, very long time; will periodically update to correct errors/formatting.
1. Episode 001: Homecoming

"So this is home, huh?"

Stepping onto the land of Kanto for the first time in years, eighteen-year-old Ren, the esteemed son of the acclaimed Ash Ketchum, had expected to feel something more. A bolt of nostalgia maybe, or a sense of grief, but anything like that was overridden by the pure relief of being on dry land again. Even without the lingering seasickness lurching in his belly, the bustling port building didn't give him a chance to reflect, and he kept having to jig with the crowd to avoid being knocked over.

Sweeping his jet black hair away from his eyes and readjusting his Trainer belt- he wasn't quite accustomed to it yet- Ren pushed through the sea of people to the exit. The boat to Pallet Town wasn't due for another couple of hours, and he didn't fancy languishing in the stuffy harbour structure until then. He was technically in Kanto for business, having gained an apprenticeship with the Pallet Research Corp, but privately he had other ideas. Either way, he wanted to make the most of any free time.

Miraculously finding a spare bench just outside the entrance, the fledgling Trainer switched on his Pokégear and sat down to absorb Vermilion City in all of its glory. Bathed in orange by the setting sun, he had to admit that this wasn't a bad reintroduction to his home region. The atmosphere was jovial, with merry tourists buzzing against a backdrop of vendors hawking their wares. The architecture wasn't anything like the stuff he was accustomed to back in Hoenn; his eyes were drawn to a particularly gaudy building emblazoned with neon hearts and various chibi Pokémon. Sparkling lights across the front declared it to be 'The Pokémon Fan Club!' Sheesh. He'd be giving that one a wide berth for sure.

There was a secret Ren had never shared with anyone; he hadn't taken a liking to the creatures known as Pokémon. It wasn't an unpopular opinion, particularly nowadays, since the conservative newspapers spewed out alarmist headlines on a daily basis. However, with his background, there were certain expectations that he felt obligated to meet. Assuming that fondness would come eventually- it was in his blood, everybody said so- Ren had thrown every ounce of himself into training. And now, after all those intense years of studying, the realisation had dawned that perhaps that passion would never awaken.

He sighed and looked down upon his pristine belt. With its single Poké Ball, it wasn't exactly an impressive sight. Contained in the ball was what should have been his pride and joy, a violet-eyed Shinx cub specially bred and raised for him alone. In truth, the electric mammal and himself hadn't been getting along too well; the blue ball of fur seemed to sense his disinterest and responded in kind.

_To be a master, Pokémon master  
__I will be writing a brand new chapter  
__Poké Ball go! Go! _

A familiar ditty pierced Ren's brooding, and he looked around for the source before realising it emitted from his Pokégear. Blushing slightly, he silenced it- the strangers mingling around were obviously amused by his sister's choice of ring tone, casting smirks his way. He couldn't help but smile to himself; it was just like Saffy to find a way to annoy him despite the distance now between them.

The screen showed yet another missed call from Katrinn, causing his good mood to falter for a second. For Mew's sake, what was he even supposed to say to her at this point? The display informed him that this was the thirty-third such call, approaching a new personal record of desperation for his ex-girlfriend. He remembered when he found her tenacity endearing, which was easy enough when it wasn't aimed at _him_.

Looking around for a distraction from his ex, and noticing that the port crowd had thinned, he decided this would be a grand time to explore the city. More importantly, it was a glorious opportunity to grab a bite to eat. His stomach rumbled with the thought, the leftover strands of seasickness dissipating the instant he thought about chowing down.

Weaving through the streets he eventually stumbled upon a familiar place for grub: a brightly-coloured 'Noodle, Noodle, Come Get Your Noodle' cart. His cyan eyes lit up as he rushed over and admired the extensive menu, almost drooling at the array of flavours offered.  
Just as he was _close _to making a decision- he'd narrowed it down to the Mauville Ramen Bowl or Salveyo Yakisoba, but was honestly considering buying both- he felt the Poké Ball on his belt rumble and, with a burst of dazzling light, Shinx shot out.

He blinked in surprise as the Pokémon let out a series of short, quick yaps before turning around and diving into the crowd.

"Ah, _fuck_! Shinx! _Shinx!_" He took a last, wistful look at the noodle menu, before hurriedly giving chase, shouting out quick apologies to the people he bumped into. Shinx had been obedient up until now, sitting quietly in her Poké Ball like a regular little Pokémon, and his mind ran through the possible scenarios which could have caused this turn of events.

_"It must be something to do with Shinx's Poké Ball,"_ he decided. Some sort of malfunction as he'd neglected its maintenance lately. He'd been preoccupied with his exams, with Katrinn, with arranging this trip, with avoiding the media. It was a hot day- had the temperature regulator given up? Had a spring come loose? Was it possible the coding had become corrupted? Or was it something else entirely?

* * *

Shinx was enjoying their sudden game thoroughly. She'd only popped out for food, sensing it was close by, and now her Trainer was dancing between stalls, almost keeping pace with her as she cut a path across the city following the most delicious scent. Despite her hunger, she was having fun, and she was _loving _this freedom and attention! She barked happily, delighted that her Trainer was playing her impromptu game, not paying any heed to the bemused looks and cries of passersby as they dashed through the hordes.

Finally, the scent she'd pinpointed was slap bang in front of her and she skidded to a halt, turning to her owner and yapping triumphantly.

* * *

Suddenly, Shinx came to an almost-comical stop, her tiny legs working overtime to keep her upright, at a shop selling a superb array of Pokémon food. Obviously very pleased with herself, her delight was evident as she yapped noisily at Ren. He almost admired the Pokemon for her enthusiasm and energy.

So that was it. No fault with the Poké Ball, Shinx was simply hungry. He couldn't help but laugh at himself; of course, the only time Ren had taken her out of the Poké Ball was to eat. The Trainer took a moment to catch his breath, motioning for the cub to calm down.

Bending down, he opened his mouth to scold her, but then stopped himself. They'd been on the ship from Hoenn for hours. He couldn't really begrudge her some grub; he was starving too after all. He focused on the shop's offerings instead, mulling over the choices: spicy, sour, sweet, dry, and bitter.  
Ren frowned to himself as he pondered. Which would Shinx like? Hell, he could barely choose his own food, how was he supposed to know her preferences?  
His indecision hadn't gone unnoticed by the portly shopkeeper, who was eyeing him with amusement.

"Why not let your Pokémon decide," he suggested in a high voice at odds with his gruff appearance.

Ren nodded and addressed Shinx. "Well, you heard the man, what's it gonna be?"  
She tilted her head slightly to one side, not understanding. With a chuckle, the shopkeeper stooped down level with Shinx.

"A young one, eh?" he said with a smile. "How about I give you some samples, get your taste buds accustomed first, eh?"  
He produced a selection of colourful treats from his pocket and offered them to Shinx.

She sniffed them curiously, and proceeded to chomp the whole lot in a single bite, cooing cheerfully as she did so.

"Shinx!" Ren chided, genuinely horrified by her rudeness.

"It's alright, it's good to see a hearty appetite," the man reassured him, ruffling the fur on Shinx's head.

Abruptly, the cub's manner changed entirely. Her violet eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her expression mournful as she tilted her head down, big eyes still focused on the shopkeeper. It was the perfect imitation of Rockruff face. She was _begging_, acting like Ren hadn't fed her in weeks... and she had the shopkeeper totally suckered to her ploy.

"Oh my days, you're famished!" he shot Ren a dirty glance as he dug out more food, hand-feeding the treacherous Purrloin wannabe.

_"Great,"_ Ren thought,_ "now he probably thinks I'm some sort of irresponsible Pokémon abuser_." He hoped to Arceus that the media would never hear of this encounter; just thinking of the potential slander and headlines made him shudder. Suppressing a sigh, he rummaged through his backpack to find some Pokédollars, hopeful that paying the man would go some way to alleviate any suspicions Shinx's little act may have aroused.

After Shinx had eaten her fill she began to wander off again, taking slow lethargic steps. Ren, eager to avoid another loop of the city, scooped her up and held her aloft in front of him.

"And_ where _do you think you're going this time, little missy?" he questioned.

Her violet eyes widened with surprise. She immediately began squirming and making distressed, pitiful mewls.  
The shopkeeper took a step forward and Ren quickly, bashfully, placed the Pokémon back on the ground, where she resumed walking as if the previous few seconds hadn't happened. He let out a defeated laugh, his own hunger pangs forgotten.

"Alright, you win." Shinx shot him a smug look. He made a sweeping bow. "Lead the way, we've still got plenty of time before we catch the next ferry."

* * *

The clearing Shinx meandered to was secluded, on the outskirts of the main city, a few small wooden benches scattered amongst lush berry bushes. Ren bit back a laugh as his companion marched from bush to bush, intent on sampling each berry on the way.

"You're gonna become a right porker for sure if you keep this up, you know," he observed lightly.

Shinx cooed in response, mouth full of berries.

"What a cutie." Being distracted by Shinx's antics, Ren hadn't noticed that the spot was already occupied. He looked around to see a woman, shorter than himself, leaning down to stroke the mammal's fur.

She was pretty, despite being dressed plainly, and he guessed that she was around his age. Her maroon hair mainly hung loose, with a couple of bits tied randomly at the front. An aged Persian stood stout by her side, paper takeaway bag hanging from its mouth.

"Hey, what's the name of this little one?" she looked to Ren, and he was momentarily struck by her eyes: they were the strangest shade of violet, a colour he'd only seen before in the very Shinx she was admiring.

"It's a Shinx-" Rem started, fully intending to launch into a blow-by-blow account of the species' attributes.

"No, no, I meant her nickname." Her laugh was almost musical, the amusement plain in her gentle tone.

_A nickname? Is that what Trainers do now? _Ren thought, pretty sure it hadn't been mentioned in any textbook he'd studied.

"Pokemon love feeling like they belong… the same way we humans do I suppose," the woman mused, looking at him expectantly. Even worse, the Shinx was mimicking her and had joined the staring contest. Two sets of eyes bored into his, and his head gurgled for an answer.

"Ahhh… it's Violet." He spoke the first thing that had fluttered into his brain, but as he gazed over his companion it seemed… right.

Violet cocked her head to one side, registering this new information. Ren hoped she wouldn't give the game away and he telepathically willed her to keep up the charade. He wanted to impress the pretty stranger.

"I'm Ren by the way," he grinned, hand held out in greeting.

"Jayna, it's good to meet you." She smiled back as she shook his hand.

* * *

Violet had finally satiated her berry cravings and was now plopped at Ren's feet, sitting peacefully, the very picture of innocence. With the introductions out of the way, Ren settled easily into casual conversation with the red-haired woman. Jayna spoke briefly about her travels, telling him that she had come to Vermilion to catch a ferry to Lavender City. The Persian was curled beside her, feigning sleep, but Ren could see it occasionally glance at him with narrowed eyes. It reminded him of a guard-Stoutland, oozing a similar sense of readiness. Ren talked at length about his distinguished grades, and the top job he'd landed, careful to be charming all the while.

He fell silent when Jayna pulled out her takeaway bag and the smell of 'Noodle, Noodle, Come Get Your Noodle' drifted from it, hitting his nostrils and awakening his dormant hunger pangs with a vengeance.  
His change in focus hadn't escaped Jayna's attention. She shifted forward and squinted, pretending to get a better look at him.

"Is that drool I see?" she teased, laughing as he hurriedly wiped his mouth.  
_  
_He smiled sheepishly back. "I _did _intend to get some food but Sh... Violet had other ideas."

"Is that so?" She directed her gaze to the Electric Pokémon. "Causing your Trainer trouble at such a young age?" Jayna fake scolded the cub. Violet responded with a happy yap, making Jayna laugh again.

She rummaged through her backpack and gave a small cry of triumph as she picked up something, fixing Ren with a beaming smile.

"Here." She passed him a paper bag emblazoned with the 'Noodle, Noodle, Come Get Your Noodle' slogan. "I always get spare, you can have it though."

"Flavour?" He would have eaten it nevermind the answer, he just wanted to hear her laugh again, and was promptly rewarded when she chuckled.

"Mauville Ramen," she grinned. "Why? You really gonna refuse it when I can hear your stomach rumbling from here?"

"I have standards, you know, but..." he sniffed approvingly. "I approve of your selection, so gimme that!" He started slurping, and then paused.

"Thanks for this, it kinda reminds me of home." He shot her a lopsided grin as he caught her eye, and she waved away his appreciation with a small blush, burying her face into her own cup of noodles.

* * *

A loud bell rang in the distance, cutting through the comfortable silence that had settled as they'd eaten.

Jayna glanced up at the clear sky and let out a sigh, looking to Persian. "Guess that's our cue to leave."

She began gathering her stuff, holding her hands out to take Ren's litter too. The Persian beside her stretched and let out a lazy yawn.  
Ren was caught in indecision; was it too soon to be adding ladies' numbers to his Pokégear? Katrinn flashed in his mind, a clear image of beautiful blue eyes and golden hair, imploring him not to leave. He pushed thoughts of her aside, pressing forward.

"Uhh, Jay?" Ren ventured, his usual confidence abandoning him as he fumbled with his Pokégear.

She spun around, her eyes lighting up with understanding as she caught sight of the Pokégear in his hand.

"Sorry, I can't give you my number-" she winced at his visible disappointment but hastily explained, the words coming out in a rush, "you could say I'm between Pokégears at the moment, it's not like I wouldn't wanna see you and Vi again." Then she offered Ren a ray of hope. "How about I take your number?"

"Yeah, sure." He replied as casually as he could muster, suppressing a shit-eating grin. "Next time, I'm taking you out for noodles," he promised.

Her eyes glittered, a smirk crossing her face. "You're on, mister. I never turn down a free meal."

He watched her walk out of sight. His first day in Kanto and already he was meeting beautiful women.

He picked up Violet and held her aloft, ignoring her protests.

"Who knew you'd be such a babe magnet!" He practically radiated pride. "Fantastic work, Shinx!" He swung her around gently before setting her back down. "Although I guess I should be calling you Violet now, huh?"

* * *

Persian waited until they were out of earshot before speaking.

"You know who that was, right?" he questioned.

Jayna waved a hand nonchalantly. "Ren Ketchum, the shockingly handsome and charming son of that guy you were always so fond of."

"If he's anything like his twerpish dad-"

She laughed lightly at Persian's sour expression. "Relax, I'm just toying with you. We caught a good break; we know he's here for work and nothing more. He sure did prattle on, didn't he? I doubt he'll get in our way at all."


	2. Episode 002: The Blazing Island

Night had truly set in by the time Ren and Violet returned to the harbour, although the city itself hadn't dulled. Open bars replaced the earlier street vendors, patrons spilling into the streets with drinks in hand, a few merrily swaying in time to the music provided by energetic performers. Ren idly wondered if Vermilion ever lost its sheen of brightness. He was almost sorry to be leaving, especially since learning that Violet was so advantageous to attracting the fairer sex.

The aforementioned lady killer trotted by his side, her eyes wide, head whipping back and forth, ears twitching to every sound. Despite the numerous distractions, she hadn't run off again. If anything, she seemed a little daunted by their noisy surroundings, and Ren found it a bit weird to think that she could find a sense of comfort next to him. He thought back to their first meeting, how utterly unimpressed with one another they were, and felt a pang of guilt._ Of all the Trainers you could've ended up with, you're stuck with me._

Stepping through the doors of the port building, Ren's thoughts instantly ground to a halt. He'd assumed that, this late in the evening, the harbour would have been relatively quiet, but it seemed even more packed than when they'd arrived. The atmosphere was drastically different to the lively streets outside, unease painted across every face he looked at, a hum of low apprehensive mumbling the only sound.

Violet gave a low whimper, and Ren looked down to see her fur standing on end, tail wrapped around her hind legs. Somehow, this didn't seem an appropriate time to try to pick up women.

"Return." As Shinx fled to the safety of her Poké Ball, Ren caught the arm of the nearest passerby. "What's going on here?"

The man he'd caught looked at him incredulously. "If you don't know-" the man shrugged himself free "-then check the news. I need to find a hotel for the night."

Quickly pulling out his Pokégear, Ren flicked through until he was on the news section. Sure enough, buried under some mundane bollocks about a celebrity, was the information he was looking for. Well, sort of.

_**BREAKING. Ongoing incident on Cinnabar Island. Possible gas explosion.  
No further details available at this time. Sea and air travel to the island is currently suspended.**_

That was it. A fleeting check on social media didn't provide any further information, only speculation. Listening to the voices around him, it was obvious that nobody really had a clue what was going on.

Different murmurs, more familiar, cut through before he could form any speculation of his own.

"Is that Ren Ketchum?!"

"Naw way, dude. He hasn't been back here since-"

"I'm telling ya, it's really him! See, over there!"

Ren groaned inwardly. It had been too good to be true to expect to go a whole day without being recognised; he needed to exit, pronto, before anyone had the grand idea of approaching him. Experience had taught him that some folks were utterly shameless when it came to 'celebrities'.

Pushing through the crowd towards what he hoped was the exit, a glance of red hair caught his attention and suddenly his exit strategy seemed a little less important.

Jay was on the outskirts of the gathering, next to a towering Alakazam, her back turned. As Ren closed the distance between them, he reached a hand out, intending to place a hand on her shoulder as a way of greeting-

"Teleport."

Ren heard the words and, before he could even think, brilliant white light engulfed them.

* * *

Jayna felt the blaze of intense heat, and reacted instantly.

"Protect!"

Alakazam's reactions were even better than her own; before she'd finished her desperate shout, a solid, translucent barrier sprung up. Flames licked against it, no doubt eager to break through and sizzle them to a crisp.

Her heart was thumping as she took in the sight before them: it looked like they'd landed in an alleyway behind a building, and said building was _very_ much on fire, smoke billowing out into the night sky. "Looks like Intel was right," she stated plainly. "You alright, Persian?"

There was no answer, only the pounding of the fire in her ears. Jayna whirled, heart threatening to leap out of her chest… and the reason Persian had chosen to remain silent was right there, in a disheveled heap on the floor, bewilderment painted across his face: Ren Ketchum.

* * *

"Wh- what are you doing here?" Jay's voice held a slight rasp as smoke edged around the Protect, small tendrils creeping towards the small group.

Momentarily dazzled by the abrupt change in scenery (and temperature), Ren took a moment to respond with a question of his own.

"Where are we?"

"Cinnabar," she answered matter-of-factly. Picking up the Persian, ignoring its rumblings of low growls, her hands deftly checked it over. Finding no sign of injuries, her relief was plain as she gently set down the feline, who shot Jay an indignant look and promptly began carefully rearranging its fur.

Ren knew Cinnabar tended to be hot; its temperamental volcano was common knowledge, but literal burning flames were a bit overboard in his humble opinion.

"This has nothing to do with the volcano." Jay seemed to have read his mind. She sighed, a frown creasing her forehead. "If only it were that simple."

"What's going on, then?" he asked, getting to his feet, the shock of their sudden arrival beginning to lessen.

She shook her head, throwing a concerned look in Alakazam's direction. "I'll explain later, right now we have a more pressing priority."

Ren caught onto her meaning straightaway and nodded, setting aside his curiosity. "We've gotta get somewhere safer."

"Bingo." She rooted around in her bag and handed over a light grey scarf, emblazoned with chibi Meowth. "Keep your mouth covered, okay?" She paused before continuing, tone serious. "Ren, you chose a _really_ bad time to visit this place."

* * *

After gaining some distance from the flames, Jay called Alakazam back- Ren wondered why she hadn't recalled Persian as well, but didn't think this was the time to start calling out another Trainer's choices- and the remaining trio made a run for it.

Luckily, the fire hadn't seemed to spread too far from the building, a fortunate result of Cinnabar's desolate landscape. Coming around to the front of the structure, it became clear that it was- or, at least, _had been_\- a Gym.

"Did the old man finally burn down his own Gym?" Ren panted out loud, the taste of smoke lingering in his mouth.

In addition to its volcano, Cinnabar Island was infamous for one other thing: the eccentric and decrepit Blaine. Nobody knew his age for sure, only that he stubbornly clung to his Gym Leader title like a Remoraid suckered to a Mantine. Ren had heard tales of how battles on the island were once fought in the _actual sodding volcano_ until the Pokémon League, fearful of potential lawsuits, had forced Blaine to relocate to safer surroundings.

"Not my doing, son." A gravelly male voice spoke directly behind Ren. "Although I wish I'd thought of it. Maybe now the dammed PLC will let me have my _real_ Gym back," he finished with a grumble.

The Trainers turned around to find a living legend: Blaine himself. With his badly-fitting wig, trailing white moustache, and flamboyant printed sunglasses, he looked every part of the weirdo he was famed to be. Given the circumstances, he seemed oddly jovial, a grin plastered on his heavily wrinkled face as he reveled in the flickering flames.

Ren and Jay exchanged a look before the old man cast his attention on them.

"As much as I'd love to stand here watching this place burn," -Ren had no trouble believing the Gym Leader- "it's not safe for kids like you. Come with me."

With that blunt statement, Blaine marched away at a pace at odds with his ancient age, not waiting for the others as they hurried to follow him.

* * *

The path Blaine took wasn't a direct route through the town; instead, he weaved through winding alleyways and backstreets. The further they walked, in complete silence as the old man insisted, the more Ren felt his unease and questions grow. Occasionally in the distance they'd hear angry shouts, and in those moments Blaine would motion them to stop, standing as still as a preying Zangoose until the sounds had passed.

Even worse were the spots of ominous glowing orange, confirmed to be more pockets of fire when Ren caught Blaine's expression; the latter's lips twisted in distaste and yet somehow still wore a smile. In a way, Ren was glad that he couldn't see the eyes behind the sunglasses; the bloke clearly enjoyed fire far too much.

Eventually, Ren settled upon observing Jay as a distraction. The red-head was slightly ahead of him, her Persian matching her stride. She seemed nonplussed about their current situation, following Blaine's leadership without protest. When they stopped, her hands ran through Persian's fur at steady strokes, and it seemed to Ren that she was offering reassurance rather than seeking it. Once, when the disturbances had sounded disarmingly close, she shot him a smile and her eyes held no trace of fear.

_She said something about 'intel'._ He had no idea what that could mean. She was too young to join the ranks of the police, surely? Maybe he had misheard in his post-teleportation daze. _She knows what's going on, though._

"Here we are. Quickly, now."

He had led them to the back entrance of a red and white building that Ren quickly identified as a Pokémon Center. Pounding on the door in a quick musical rhythm, Blaine stepped back at the sound of scraping and bolts being unlocked.

Ignoring the older man for the first time, remaining still, Jay lost her calm composure and cast a disbelieving eye on Blaine. "_Here?!" _A bitter laugh escaped her throat. "You think we'll be safe _here_ of all places? Do you have _any_ idea what's going on-"

Her rant was interrupted by Blaine roughly pulling her through the door. "I know exactly what's going on. No doubt more than you, girl."

A hissing Persian followed its owner, baring its fangs as it rushed past Blaine. Ren gingerly stepped into the corridor after them, confusion and doubt swirling inside him.

* * *

"You _are_ an intriguing one." Blaine commented dryly as he pulled the door shut, stepping forward to allow the guards to bolt and barricade it. "Concerned about coming to this Center and yet wandering around with a loose Pokémon?"

Jay chose not to answer the barbed question, stubbornly avoiding his gaze and focusing on Persian instead.

"Anti-Pokémon sentiment has been gaining traction here over the last few years, but I never thought it'd come to this," the old man switched topics with a weary sigh. "We'll make sure you're all kept safe, of course. There are rooms upstairs." He started to walk away, and then whirled around with a pointed warning: "_Don't _go back outside."

Silence filled the depressing space Blaine had left behind, the hallway typical of the neglect that plagued Pokécenters nowadays: stained white walls, paint peeling, the carpet outdated and threadbare. Radiating distrust, the guards didn't seem to be in any mood for casual conversation.

Besides, the only person Ren wanted answers from right now was Jay, and he swept an arm around her shoulders as he chaperoned her upstairs. "Let's find somewhere to talk."

He'd expected her to protest but instead she fixed him with those stunning violet eyes and nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We need to come up with a plan." A grin danced across her face. "Plus, we can't let that old coffin dodger do all of the work."

* * *

The room they settled in was just as nondescript as the neglected hallway downstairs, with the added bonus of a flickering light bulb which Jayna swiftly noted as extremely irritating. The people in charge had tried to make her take a separate room to Ren when they'd realised they weren't a couple, but she'd waved their concerns away, citing that in the need to provide rooms for many, it made sense for people to share where they could. Her now-roommate looked like he'd hit the jackpot, an annoyingly smug look fixed upon his face. He'd gotten the wrong idea completely, but she didn't have the energy to set him straight.

Ren flopped down onto one of the old beds and beckoned her to sit as well. Instead of joining him, Jayna made her way to the window to assess the situation. The town was alight. As well as the Gym, they'd already hit the Poké Mart and Laboratory. Frustration pulsed through her; they were sitting Ducklett here. She knew that Persian felt it too; the animal was pacing back and forth, impatient to be settling old scores.

"Are you gonna talk, then?" Ren was studying her, casually fiddling with one of the piercings in his left ear. "Tell me what's going on."

Considering her words carefully, she focused on the scene outside while she spoke. "You heard Blaine. Anti-Pokémon beliefs are at an all-time high." Scooting over to make room, she gestured towards him. "Come over here a second."

Ren ambled over, but the mask of coolness slipped as he peered out. "What the fuck. That's the Lab... and the Mart. Is this some form of... terrorism_?_"

His reluctance to suggest terrorism wasn't surprising; Kanto had enjoyed years of peace since the disbanding of Team Rocket. It probably seemed unreal to him, sheltered and pampered over in Hoenn, not having to deal with the fallout.

"Some form of terrorism..." Jayna repeated his words to herself. "I guess you could label it as that," she said softly.

"You've seen the headlines, haven't you?" She asked but she didn't wait for a response before continuing.

"Pokémon replacing people's jobs, Pokémon being dangerous and uncontrollable, Pokémon being used for crime, the conspiracy that Pokémon are being trained for war... the list goes on. Politicians have jumped on it- think of all the laws that have passed since we were kids. Licenses, microchipping, restricted breeding, our every move followed by the PCL. The days where ten year olds could venture out without a care are long gone."

"People are worried, and there are groups looking to capitalise on that fear. Especially in small towns like this, where propaganda and misinformation can spread easily."

"What exactly are you saying?" The question escaped Ren's lips, although she could tell by his troubled expression that he knew where this was going.

"The people down there, setting fire to everything... they aren't terrorists, Ren. They're the townspeople."


End file.
